diff --git a/ansible/inventory.yml b/ansible/inventory.yml
index 28936255a..c5c5d2f97 100644
--- a/ansible/inventory.yml
+++ b/ansible/inventory.yml
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ hosts:
         debian8-x64-1: {ip: 184.172.29.199, alias: registry-mirror}
         ubuntu1404-x64-1: {ip: 169.44.16.104, alias: ci-release}
         ubuntu1404-x64-2: {ip: 50.23.85.254}
+        ubuntu1804-x64-2: {ip: 169.62.77.235, alias: ansible}
 
 
   - release:
diff --git a/ansible/playbooks/create-ansible-tower.yml b/ansible/playbooks/create-ansible-tower.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7a67ac99a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/playbooks/create-ansible-tower.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+---
+
+#
+# sets up the host that runs ansible.nodejs.org
+#
+
+- hosts: infra-softlayer-ubuntu1804-x64-2
+  gather_facts: yes
+  roles:
+    - bootstrap
+    - package-upgrade
+    - ansible-tower
+
+  pre_tasks:
+    - name: check if secrets are properly set
+      fail:
+      failed_when: not {{ secret }}
+      loop_control:
+        loop_var: secret
+      with_items:
+        - awx_password
+        - awx_org
diff --git a/ansible/playbooks/jenkins/worker/create.yml b/ansible/playbooks/jenkins/worker/create.yml
index 775b34835..28b625421 100644
--- a/ansible/playbooks/jenkins/worker/create.yml
+++ b/ansible/playbooks/jenkins/worker/create.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
   - release
   # Benchmarking machine
   - infra-softlayer-ubuntu1404-x64-2
+  - "!infra-softlayer-ubuntu1804-x64-2"
   - "!*-win*"
 
   roles:
diff --git a/ansible/plugins/inventory/nodejs_yaml.py b/ansible/plugins/inventory/nodejs_yaml.py
index eb5aff917..c00a077a3 100755
--- a/ansible/plugins/inventory/nodejs_yaml.py
+++ b/ansible/plugins/inventory/nodejs_yaml.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 import yaml
 import os
 import sys
+from os import path
 
 
 valid = {
@@ -72,7 +73,9 @@ def main():
     export = {'_meta': {'hostvars': {}}}
 
     # get inventory
-    with open("inventory.yml", 'r') as stream:
+    basepath = path.dirname(__file__)
+    inventory_path = path.abspath(path.join(basepath, "..", "..", "inventory.yml"))
+    with open(inventory_path, 'r') as stream:
         try:
             hosts = yaml.load(stream)
 
diff --git a/ansible/roles/ansible-tower/tasks/main.yml b/ansible/roles/ansible-tower/tasks/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..35c9c8829
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles/ansible-tower/tasks/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,160 @@
+---
+
+- name: set hostname
+  hostname: name="ansible.nodejs.org"
+
+- name: update /etc/hosts file - 127.0.0.1
+  lineinfile:
+    dest: /etc/hosts
+    regexp: "^(.*)127.0.0.1 ansible.nodejs.org(.*)$"
+    line: "127.0.0.1 ansible.nodejs.org ansible-tower"
+    state: present
+    backup: yes
+
+- name: import docker gpg key
+  apt_key:
+   url: https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg
+   state: present
+
+- name: import docker apt repostory
+  apt_repository:
+    repo: deb [arch=amd64] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu {{ ansible_distribution_release }} stable
+    state: present
+
+- name: import ansible apt repostory
+  apt_repository:
+    repo: ppa:ansible/ansible
+    state: present
+
+- name: install apt dependencies
+  apt:
+    name: "{{ packages }}"
+    update_cache: yes
+  vars:
+    packages:
+      - ansible
+      - apt-transport-https
+      - binutils
+      - ca-certificates
+      - curl
+      - dkms
+      - docker-ce
+      - gcc
+      - git
+      - make
+      - patch
+      - python-pip
+      - python3-pip
+      - software-properties-common
+      - vim
+
+- name: install pip dependencies
+  pip:
+    name: "{{ packages }}"
+  vars:
+    packages:
+      - ansible-tower-cli
+      - django
+      - docker
+      - pexpect
+
+- name: start the docker service
+  service:
+    name: docker
+    state: started
+
+- name: create /opt/awx_install_files
+  file: path=/opt/awx_install_files state=directory
+
+- name: clone awx github repository
+  git:
+    repo: https://github.com/ansible/awx.git
+    dest: /opt/awx_install_files/awx
+    force: yes
+
+- name: run awx install files, this can take ~20 mins
+  command: chdir=/opt/awx_install_files/awx/installer/ ansible-playbook -i inventory install.yml
+
+- name: change awx admin password
+  expect:
+    command: docker exec -it awx_task awx-manage changepassword admin
+    responses:
+      (?i)password: "{{ awx_password }}"
+
+#TODO: change this to be https://ansible.nodejs.org and remove verify_ssl
+- name: create /root/.tower_cli.cfg
+  blockinfile:
+    path: /root/.tower_cli.cfg
+    block: |
+      host: http://169.62.77.235
+      username: admin
+      password: {{ awx_password }}
+      verify_ssl: False
+    create: yes
+    mode: 0700
+
+- name: delete Default organization created at install
+  command: tower-cli organization delete Default
+
+- name: create new organization (set in hosts file)
+  command: tower-cli organization create --name {{ awx_org }}
+
+- name: create new team belonging to organization
+  command: tower-cli team create --name {{ awx_org }} --organization {{ awx_org }}
+
+- name: add nodejs/build repo to AWX
+  command: tower-cli project create --organization {{ awx_org }} --name nodejs/build --scm-type git --scm-url https://github.com/nodejs/build --scm-branch master --scm-update-on-launch true
+
+- name: create inventory
+  command: tower-cli inventory create --organization {{ awx_org }} --name nodejs_inventory_github
+
+- name: create automate fetching inventory from inventory.yml
+  command: tower-cli inventory_source create --name github --inventory nodejs_inventory_github --source scm  --source-project nodejs/build --source-path ansible/plugins/inventory/nodejs_yaml.py --overwrite true --overwrite-vars true --update-on-launch true
+
+- name: prevent ubuntu deleting /tmp folder on reboot
+  command: echo > /etc/init/mounted-tmp.conf
+
+- name: patch ubuntu weekly at 5 Sundays
+  cron:
+    name: "apt-get update"
+    minute: "0"
+    hour: "5"
+    weekday: "sun"
+    job: "apt-get update"
+
+- name: upgrade ubuntu weekly at 5:15 Sundays
+  cron:
+    name: "apt-get -y upgrade"
+    minute: "15"
+    hour: "5"
+    weekday: "sun"
+    job: "apt-get -y upgrade"
+
+- name: create /backup
+  file: path=/backup state=directory
+
+- name: setup Backups for AWX docker containers
+  blockinfile:
+    path: /backup/backup_docker_AWX.sh
+    block: |
+      DATE=`date +%m-%d-%Y`
+
+      # Create Tar backups from the containers
+      docker save -o /backup/awx_test_backup_$DATE.tar ansible/awx_task
+      docker save -o /backup/awx_web_backup_$DATE.tar ansible/awx_web
+      docker save -o /backup/rabbitmq_backup_$DATE.tar rabbitmq
+      docker save -o /backup/postgres_backup_$DATE.tar postgres
+      docker save -o /backup/memcached_backup_$DATE.tar memcached
+      tar -cvf /backup/postgres_tmp_backup_$DATE.tar /tmp/pgdocker
+    create: yes
+
+- name: make backup_docker_AWX.sh executable
+  command: chmod +x /backup/backup_docker_AWX.sh
+
+- name: backup AWX's docker containers weekly at 5am on Mondays
+  cron:
+    name: "/backup/backup_docker_AWX.sh"
+    minute: "0"
+    hour: "5"
+    weekday: "mon"
+    job: "/backup/backup_docker_AWX.sh"
diff --git a/ansible/roles/bootstrap/tasks/partials/ubuntu1804.yml b/ansible/roles/bootstrap/tasks/partials/ubuntu1804.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8046038b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles/bootstrap/tasks/partials/ubuntu1804.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+---
+
+#
+#  ubuntu 18.04
+#
+
+- name: check for python
+  raw: stat /usr/bin/python
+  failed_when: has_python.rc > 1
+  register: has_python
+
+- name: check for aptitude
+  raw: stat /usr/bin/aptitude
+  failed_when: has_aptitude.rc > 1
+  register: has_aptitude
+
+- name: install python and aptitude
+  when: has_python.rc == 1 or has_aptitude.rc == 1
+  raw: apt-get update && apt install -y python-minimal aptitude